Weekend Spy: Job Spec - Cameron McAllister

Each week we'll be asking people from all parts of the media industry - from channel controllers to catering staff, directors to digital technicians - to tell us about themselves and their job.

Ahead of next weekend’s launch of sci-fi drama Primeval, we spoke to Cameron McAllister, the show’s executive producer.

Name
Cameron McAllister

Job Title
Producer and executive producer

Age
40

Lives
Brighton

In the role since
September 2005.

Responsibilities
Co-responsibility for the overall project - storylines, casting, employing crew, managing shoot and post production, joint overall editorial responsibility.

Best thing about your job
Telling stories.

Worst thing about your job
Filming.

First thing you do in the morning when you get in?
Drink coffee and check emails.

Any downsides to working in your job?
Some of the egos.

First media/TV job
Trainee director with LWT in September 1989.

Biggest achievement to date
This show.

Anything you wish you'd done differently?
Maybe gone to film school and made feature films.

Dream job/company/lifestyle
Writing movies from a house in the Greek Islands.

Best media jolly you've ever attended
Bafta film awards and brushing past Kate Winslet.

Do you think Primeval will be as much of a success for ITV has Doctor Who has been for the BBC?
It would be great but Dr Who is an national institution - we have to start from scratch.

If you found a “rip in time” like in Primeval, which time period would you go back to??
Primary School, down the end of the playing field where the girls would do anything for you if you kissed them. Not unlike casting I guess?

Primeval, starring Dougie Henshall and some scary pre-historic monsters, begins next Saturday at 7.20pm on ITV1.